Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 471

“Long live McLaine!”

“Long live Emperor Logan!”

“We are the Empire now!”

“Hey, that’s going too far.”

Murmurs.

The kingdom was filled with celebration. Music filled the streets, flags waved from every window, and laughter echoed through the air. People danced and sang, forgetting the dark days of war.

Winning the war made everyone happy. But even more, people cheered because the long war was finally over.

“There won’t be any more wars now, right?”

“Of course! Who would dare to pick a fight with McLaine, the strongest on the continent?”

The strongest on the continent. Now, even the kingdom’s people easily spoke those words.

“I heard they could have completely destroyed the Empire, but the benevolent Emperor only took the eastern part and drew a line?”

“I don’t care. The important thing is that the war is over.”

“Yes, that’s the most important thing.”

But not everyone was celebrating. Some people stood quietly, their hands clenched tight, hearts hammering in their chests. They were parents waiting for news.

“God, please let our son return safely……”

“Our daughter……”

The desperate prayers of parents waiting for their children who had not returned were lost in the noisy celebration.

The rest of the continent was filled with chaos.

The Emperor had disappeared.

The Empire said it was not true. But people already believed the rumor.

Even if he was injured and recovering, it was not logical that he would not react at all to the declaration of war by the ten western nations, the movements of the temple, and McLaine’s declaration of territory.

“If he’s really recovering, he must have suffered a serious injury that caused him to lose consciousness.”

“Then what will happen?”

“To our Empire……”

“Won’t it be a mess?”

“It’s already a mess, you fool. Hurry up and get some food.”

Even the citizens of Aserian, the largest city on the continent, were worried. The Empire was already showing signs of splitting apart less than a week after the end of the McLaine War.

The Travis family, a prestigious family in the southern part of the Empire, declared independence first. They announced: “Our Travis family will become independent from the shadow of Ares and walk a separate path.”

Because their lands were near the southern mountains, the Travis family was a little separate from the Empire’s main army system and was able to raise some private soldiers.

That family, which had many connections to the central government, was the first to leave the Empire. When the Travis family, a powerful and respected group, left the Empire, it made other nobles feel brave enough to do the same.

It was clear that there was really a problem with the Emperor’s condition.

Starting with the Travis territory, high-ranking nobles of count rank or higher began to declare independence one by one, forming alliances.

There was a common theme in their declarations of independence. They all said: “We have nothing to do with the Empire, so please exclude us from the Holy Kingdom’s conquest. We don’t want to fight the ten western nations, our old enemies from the west, either.”

It was a strange situation where more than ten territories declared independence in just one week.

Then the Imperial Family made an announcement.

“Those who challenge the Emperor’s supreme authority will face the iron fist of the Empire.”

But the Emperor did not appear in public. The Emperor’s words made things worse. Because he didn’t appear himself, people thought he was weak. Instead of stopping the nobles, his proclamation made them even more sure the Empire was falling apart.

The Emperor no longer has the power to control the provinces.

The rumors in aristocratic society began to be accepted as fact.

The 15 legions of the East and West, which were the pride of the Empire, and the Central Army were defeated. The only remaining force was a small group of less than two legions.

Of course, the number of knights among them exceeded 5,000, so it was a more powerful force than any other kingdom. But the only remaining transcendents were the Sorcerer of the Freezing Wind and Jerome Dicaid, called the Saint of the Empire, which was a serious problem.

It was a weak force that could not guarantee victory even if they fought against the ten western nations that had collapsed due to the previous war, let alone fight against McLaine again.

The Imperial Family had already lost the military power to control the entire Empire.

As the Imperial Family’s reputation fell, the Empire’s nobles began to look for ways to survive. The nobles in the eastern part of the Empire, which McLaine had declared as its territory, were the most active.

“I am Baron Purin Gerhin. I will offer half of my property, so please guarantee my title.”

“I am Baron Tren Miles. I will offer all of my property, so please recognize only the autonomy of my territory.”

“Count Tapi Anon……”

“Stop, stop.”

Clang. Clang.

At the sound of the armrest being struck, the imperial nobles who were shouting lowered their voices.

Logan sat on the throne, his face like stone. His eyes, however, moved slowly over the nobles, watching, judging. Damian, standing next to him, took out a scroll and began to read it out loud.

“According to His Majesty’s will, uniform regulations will be applied to the disposition of imperial nobles. First……”

Gulp.

Many of those looking at Damian were filled with tension. Everyone in this place was either a former imperial noble, their successor, or their representative. Their fate depended on that one order.

In an atmosphere that felt suffocating, Damian’s words continued.

“Autonomy cannot be recognized. The donation of property will be recognized, but only half will be accepted. The title in the Empire will be lowered by one level and made a kingdom noble. No objections will be accepted. Those who resist must abandon everything and leave that land.”

“Ah……”

Many people’s faces darkened at Damian’s words. The regulation that it would be applied uniformly was stricter than expected.

Above all, the very fact that the title would be demoted from Empire to Kingdom would be an insult to the nobles.

However, Damian simply folded the order as if he had nothing more to say and bowed to the monarch behind him.

Then Logan nodded, stood up, and looked around at those in the hall.

Most of those who met his gaze avoided it, but Logan’s ability was already reading the minds of everyone in the hall.

‘……I can’t help it. I have no choice but to follow.’

‘Damn it, is he a tyrant?’

‘A demotion in title.’

‘I need to figure out how to run away with my property.’

‘I’d rather go to the Travis Dukedom or the ten western nations…….’

Tsk.

The sense that had been gradually expanding since the end of the war had reached a point where he could read the minds of others without even trying.

“It seems like there’s no one who has anything to say…… is that right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Send them away.”

“Yes.”

As soon as the order was given, the knights stationed in the hall drove out the nobles and their representatives.

As everyone left the hall, Logan calmly gave an order.

“Thoroughly monitor the mustached guy in the third row, the bald guy behind him, and the guy in the fifth row wearing a floral uniform. And the moment they show any other movements, execute them all. Confiscate all their property.”

“Yes.”

Damian’s face, answering concisely, was full of smiles.

We didn’t need spies or more guards. Just meeting the nobles once told us who would obey and who was thinking of causing trouble. It was annoying work for a king, but important.

Damian said, “That’s all the nobles checked, Your Majesty.” He looked pleased.

But Logan didn’t look happy. “Still no word from the Emperor?”

Damian lowered his head. “No, Your Majesty. I’m sorry.”

Logan sighed. “It’s not your fault, Damian. Something is definitely wrong.”

The Emperor was a big problem. Logan’s head hurt just thinking about such a strong person hiding somewhere. ‘I can’t just go searching everywhere myself.’

He also wondered if the Emperor was even alive, considering how things were. And then there was the Cassel Magic Tower. They hadn’t fought in the war, which was strange. Even if they were hard to understand, they were dangerous and had to be destroyed.

But right now, taking care of things after the war was most important. Logan said, “When we get the nobles’ money, start paying back the people who suffered in the war. As much as we can afford.”

Damian started to say, “Your Majesty, maybe we should fix the army first…” But he stopped when Logan’s red eyes looked at him sharply. “Oh, never mind. I’ll do what you say.”

Damian cleared his throat. “Paying the war victims is most important. Yes, of course!”

Logan said, “Even if we had to fight, the people who lost things won’t see it that way. We want to build a great kingdom that lasts a thousand years. We need to help them first. I won’t hear anyone say otherwise.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Damian said quickly.

Logan continued, “And reward the heroes of Gran. Of course, mostly with land and the right to rule it. Get ready for that.”

“Understood,” Damian replied.

Maybe it was because he had pushed himself so hard in the war, Logan thought. He felt like he was getting stronger, even past the level of Aura Master. Maybe that’s why he could now solve problems easily, things that used to make him worry.

But there were downsides to his power. ‘How much reward will I get? A county with land… is that too much?’ Damian thought. Logan chuckled. “It’s not too much.”

“Yes, of course! It’s definitely…” Damian started, then his eyes widened. “Huh?!”

“A county with land is fine,” Logan said. “You deserve it.”

“Ah, hahaha. Yes, yes. Thank you, Your Majesty,” Damian said, smiling awkwardly.

Logan smiled sadly as he saw Damian’s forced smile. Even people who knew he could read minds acted like this. Lately, even his most loyal people seemed to be keeping away from him. ‘Maybe it’s not just me imagining it.’

How could they not be nervous when their king, who controlled their lives, could read their thoughts? But Logan couldn’t stop it. What could he do about seeing what he saw? Logan patted Damian’s shoulder without a word and walked out of the big hall.

‘If I become like a god, will these problems go away?’ No, if he couldn’t read minds, that would be worse, not better.

Then, if he could read minds even better… Would he be even more alone? ‘Alone?’ He stopped walking. He laughed at himself for thinking that word. ‘The war just ended a few days ago.’

He was the king who had brought peace to the east. Now he ruled the strongest kingdom on the continent, and he was an Aura Master. And yet, he felt lonely because his people were afraid to be close to him? When did I start feeling so weak?

“Why am I thinking such silly things…” Slap. Logan hit his face lightly, trying to get rid of these useless feelings. He had mostly finished getting over the anger from his past life. Compared to that terrible life, he had gained so much now. ‘Yes, it’s enough.’

It was good, very good. Too good… But he still felt strangely empty inside. He had run so hard, only thinking about one thing. But now that he had reached it, he felt lost, not knowing what to do next. ‘Yes, that’s it.’

He could always find a new goal. After he finished fixing things after the war, he would start looking for the Emperor and the Cassel Magic Tower to destroy them. He would focus on that for now. Thinking this made him feel a little better.

Then, his mind, which had been turned inward, suddenly opened up again, and he heard people’s thoughts all around him. Why did I even feel lonely for a moment?

‘I wonder what will happen to the world now.’

‘But our kingdom will be strong.’

‘Of course, because the King is here.’ These were the thoughts of soldiers who admired him.

‘We have started a kingdom that will last a thousand years!’

‘I’m proud to be a knight of McLaine!’

‘Long live King Logan, the Knight King!’ These were the proud thoughts of his knights.

All these thoughts made him feel better. And then…

‘Oh no! This is awful! I need to tell the King! …Or should I tell Victoria first?’ That thought bothered him.

Hmm? Logan frowned slightly. Just then, someone rushed in, shouting, “Y-Your Majesty! Something terrible! Sir Clayton’s body… it’s gone from Kyle Castle!”

The news hit Logan like a punch, destroying his good mood.